Harry's Deathly Hallows
by BellatrixRemairaBlack
Summary: Ever see my story Deadly Women? Well its about four dark girls, three daughters of the Mauraders and Voldemorts sister. They're all evil and deadly. This is the light side version, where you can see them on Harry's side. Draco's Sister, Remus's daughter, Sirius's Daughter, and Peter's daughter? I love it.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, I like to repeat characters and the roles they play in many of my fanfiction, well I'm doing it once again. This is the light side version. If you'd like to see the Dark Side Version, where Lucius Malfoy (Though in the Dark Side version she's around seventeen and is the sister of Voldemort), Peter, Sirius, and Remus's daughters are evil, you should see my story, **_**Deadly Women**_**.**

**Ginger Lupin: Ginger from Ginger Snaps.**

**Bella Black: Bella Swan from Twilight, Sirius's Daughter**

**Taylor Pettigrew: A friend of mine at school who inspires the character**

**Juliunna Malfoy: My inner ego, the Malfoy's daughter. **

**A/N: Didn't anyone ever wonder who Harry Potter's God Parents were? I mean, we all know that (Spoiler Alert. I hate it when people spoil it for me, so I'm giving you a chance to skip it to Chapter 1 if you haven't seen the book or movie)**

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**Blah, blah, blah. Sirius Black is his Godfather, but we all just assumed that he didn't have a God Mother. Well, I volunteer as Tribute to tell her story!**

Chapter 1:

**Normal Pov**

Harry stared across the long hallway with a blanked stare. He froze as he heard a long scream, but could barely move. _What is wrong with me? _He asked himself, but no one answered. He longed to be normal. No normal teenage wizard had this many responsibilities. No normal teenager had to save the wizarding. No normal teenager held the key to defeating Voldemort, while searching for Horcruxes, doing a job that is highly too dangerous to be trusted for a teenager. Why me, is what he's asking himself.

"Harry!" He heard, and with a snap and a twist, he was awake.

"What's the matter?" He asked groggily, and sat up from the couch on Grimmauld place. Sirius's own home. None of the other had came there since, too dangerous now that Snape's gone rouge.

"Harry we've found something, your going to want to see this." Ron said, and Harry grabbed his glasses over on the counter. "I'm coming I'm coming." He said, and followed Ron though the hallway. Ron was looking lustfully excited as he lead Harry up the stairs and into a grand bedroom, where Harry was shocked to find two women, looking totally angry.

"If you don't let us go-!"

"We will kill all of you!" The other one screamed, and Harry realized that the both of them were shackled to the desk post. Hermione, on the opposite side, huddled into the corner, pointing two wands at them, and looking angry.

"Hermione what happened?" Harry asked, and Ron stepped forward.

"The two of them just strolled in here like they owned the place. Harry I don't know who they are but they're highly dangerous-!"

"Who are you calling highly dangerous?!" The one on the right scoffed, and the one on the left struggled roughly against her cuffs.

"And then they went in here, where they started talking about who's getting who's room, as if they actually live here-!"

"I own this house!" One of them screamed, and Harry turned to her furiously.

"Sirius owned this house." Harry glared, and the one on the right sighed, hanging her head sarcastically.

"He, _owned_ this house. Okay, that's funny, because as his daughter, I'm pretty sure that I can gain possession of his belongings!" The girl snapped, and struggled wildly against her chains again.

"Bella stop it!" The other one snapped, and Harry stepped as close as he dared.

"You, are you saying that your Sirius's daughter?" He asked, looking at Bella more intently. She glared at him, revealing shiny white, sharpened teeth. Made to rip and tear…

"Bella you need to stop fighting-!"

"Shut up Ginger." Bella snapped, but nonetheless stopped moving.

"Are you, or are you not, Sirius's daughter-!"

"I am the bloody daughter, of Sirius Orion Black! Pureblood daughter of him and Amy Locker. I present myself, my friends, and my services to you Harry James Potter, to aid you in your hunt for You Know Who's Horcruxes." Bella boringly drawled.

"What, how did you know?" Ron squeaked, and pulled his wand on her. She glared at him.

"Dumbledore told me to come and aid you. Said its part of my community service." Ginger chuckled, and smirked at Harry blankely.

"Why would Dumbledore tell you that? And nice try, Dumbledore died almost a year ago." Harry glared at her, and Bella glared right on back.

"What, did you really think I was just going to jump for you? I had my own things to do. I had places to be. You seemed like you were doing pretty fine on your own." Bella shrugged, and reached closely to her pocket. She pulled out a letter, and then threw it on the floor. Seeing as if she could barely move her arms, that was the best she could do.

Ron ran forward and grabbed the old looking crumpled up piece of paper, and then ran back to the safety of the corner.

"Okay, lets see what we have here." Ron started, and stared at the paper, reading and drinking in the words. "Blah, blah, blah, oh, its Dumbledore's signature! Right here." Ron said, and pointed to the bottom of the page. Harry and the Hermione joined him in the corner, where they started to read.

"Isabella, this letter, is dated a year ago! Dumbledore says very clearly in this letter that you must find Harry and stick with him. You and your friends have to help us, and you were suppose to respond to the Orders letter once Harry and we set of for the hunt. Where were you?" Hermione said, turning to Bella, who smirked sheepishly.

"Oh you know, just around."

"Just around. Just around?!" Ron snapped. "Dumbledore warned you-!"

"And I was busy. You held up the fort on your own. Good for you, but I had things to do-!"

"Things to do huh, well I think you have some explaining to do. What was so important that you couldn't help us save the Wizarding World-!"

"Because you know what, I was busy fighting the war in the Muggle World! You know that some vampires revolted against them, created a wild new born army, and tried to take out the state of Washington? Who's going to help them Potter? Huh, huh? They nearly succeeded but I had some help from my non blood sucking friends, and managed to pull out. You guys have done pretty good without me? Or would you have rather me hold your hand throughout this thing?" Bella cooed, and Harry sighed.

"Okay, fine. Its alright."

"Okay, so can I pretty please be let go now?" Bella asked, and Hermione hissed. "Do you think we're stupid-!"

"Of course." Harry said, and waved his wand. The chains binding Ginger and Bella to the table collapsed, and the both of them stretched and got up.

"Harry no!" We can't trust them!" Hermione said, and Harry fished around in his pocket for a picture he had found earlier. Only Sirius's real daughter would be able to know who the young man in the picture is. He handed Bella the picture, and then after she raised an eyebrow at him, explained.

"Who is he?" Harry said, and Bella groaned. "It looks like Lupin, but no, his hair is too curly. His eyes are very blue though, yep, I know who it is. Its my dad. You probably can't tell, but right at the top of the his shirt collar, on his neck, is a tattoo I made for him when I was seven. See?" Bella asked, and Harry looked closer. Yes, he thought to himself. There was a sparkly body tattoo poking out of Sirius's collar.

"Welcome to the club-!" Ron started forward, but Hermione's eyes narrowed.

"I don't think so. We should ask them more questions-!"

"Hermione she already identified Sirius when he was in his early twenties, why else would I show her the picture? Plus Dumbledore trusted Bella Black, so I do too." Harry said, but Hermione hissed and glare.

"You know what, fine! If you idiots want to let two potential Death Eaters just come with us on our mission, then its on your heads!" Hermione snapped, glaring at Ron and Harry. Ginger, scrunching her face up, put up a voice that was obviously mocking Hermione's.

"Actually Harry, its four potential Death Eaters. Julie and Tay-Tay are meeting us here later on-!"

"Who said it?!" There was a yell from downstairs, and Bella was suddenly rolling on the floor laughing. A girl with a boisterous and loud voice yelled from downstairs. Hermione groaned and threw herself onto the couch, looking as if she was nursing a bad headache.

"Who dare said it? I told you both that I hate the name Tay-Tay! Do not call me Tay-Tay! Its annoying and I hate it!" The girl screamed, and smashed the door open. She stomped inside, and Ginger held up her hands in defense, a smile on her face. Bella choked on her own laughter, and tried to catch her breath.

A girl rushed in the door as Taylor and Ginger small talked together, and stopped beside Harry. She balanced the expensive black and metallic muggle laptop under her arm, and crushed a pile of notes and parchment against her under arms. In the same hand, she held a steaming cup of coffee, which Harry noticed smelled like delicious peppermint and spice. She extended her empty hand towards Harry, and he shook it, a kind smile on his face. Whereas Ginger, Bella, and the loud girl seemed leering and mean and outrageous, this one seemed down to earth, and more like Hermione.

"Hi, I'm Jules. Well, Juliunna, but you can call me Jules. Its very nice to meet you Harry." She said, ad he shook her hand, smiling at her kindly.

"Um, thanks Jules. So, I'm guessing you're the brainy one out of this group?" Harry gestured to Bella and Ginger and the other girls, and Juliunna nodded. The loud blonde girl strolled back over to Jules, looking between them with a mysterious smirk. Shly, Jules looked to the blonde one, and then gestured in between the two of them.

"Harry, Harry this is Taylor. She's the loud, ghetto one." Juliunna explained, and then Taylor laughed, throwing an arm around Jules shoulder.

"Yo Jules, Imma let you finish and all but," Taylor breathed, chuckling, and Bella laughed again once she was on her feet.

"But you need to shut yo mouth. Jules I'm kidding." Taylor added, and laughed aloud when Jules walked over to the couch and sat down. She promptly pulled her laptop out, placed her coffee on the nearby table, curled up, and started typing.

"Seven of us Harry, there are seven of us now!" Hermione snapped, but Juliunna raised an eyebrow.

"Well Granger, what is it that you are so worried about? Is it size and capacity? Will we be traveling in a car?" Juliunna said, leaned forward and giving Hermione a silent glare, testing her. Bella smirked, and Taylor chuckled into her hand.

"Oh, I know Granger, TomRiddleMeThis." Jules said in a quick whisper, making even Ron laugh with the girls. "Is it that your ego is so supersized that you can't even trust?"

"You can't trust many people these days and you know that-!" Hermione started, but Juliunna picked up her coffee, took a long, noisy sip, and then sighed.

"You can trust many people Granger, you just don't want to except the fact that your jealous-!"

"I am not!" Hermione huffed.

"Oh, its perfectly normal." Juliunna assured her, slipping back on an overly sweet voice and tilting her head to the side. "Over 90% of the girls in the word are normally driven to thrive on jealous-!"

"I'm not jealous-!" Hermione huffed, her eyes bulging.

"Well according to natural science instructed by the founders of our nation, you are. Here, the facts are all right here." Juliunna said, and turned her computer around so that everyone could see. A word document, filled with pages and pages of unknown facts and information were on her screen. She clicked on one page, and pictures and lists popped up.

"Its all in your posture. A great Wizard who goes by the name Articulas Sevenston, a fellow Pureblood who fathered twenty children, and was blessed with twenty healthy grand children, studied the emotion what we called jealousy." Juliunna said, and Hermione sniffed at her.

"You must feel pretty brave, hiding behind those big words." She said, and Gingers eyes flashed dangerously.

"And you must feel pretty brave, hiding behind that birdsnest you call hair. Its thick enough to be called armor." Ginger said, and the other girls snickered. Hermione's cheeks blazed red, and with a roll of her eyes, stomped out of the room. Bella smirked at her retreating form, but frowned lightly at Jules.

"Don't listen to one word she says Jules. She's just jealous because your smart and pretty, and she's just smart." Bella said, and Ginger nodded in agreement.

"Thanks girls." She cooed, and Taylor nodded, stuffing a chocolate fondue in her mouth.

"Maybe we should donate the land mass in her head to a local bird who lost his home." Taylor suggest, and Bella snorted. Juliunna, content, tried to hide the smile and bit her lip from chuckling. Ginger flopped on the couch next to Juliunna's lap.

"Hey Jules, can I get on Facetube on that?" Ginger asked, and Juliunna turned to her, with a shake of her head.

"Yeah Ginger, cause that's exactly what its called. _The Facetube." _

Ron laughed, making Harry shake his head.

Those girls were so funny.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

**Normal Pov**

Harry sat at the Grimmauld Place dining table with Ron and Hermione, and the four girls. The three of them had their heads tucked together, whispering quietly. Juliunna hung at the end of them, typing on her laptop.

"Well, Juliunna, what do you work as?" Ron asked, smiling at her widely. Juliunna flicked her head up quickly, her long black pigtails flopping around. The three other girls quietly looked up, flicking their eyes at Jules.

"Well… I'm a teacher over at Weenie Meanie Witches And Wizards. It's an-!"

"An elementary school for small magical children. There's a pre school and an elementary school too inside there."

"Hey!" Bella shouted, and Jules jumped in her seat, startled. "Jules was talking. No one needs any of your useless facts, _Granger_." Bella spit at her. And Ginger clapped Jules on the back, who nodded, a plump sigh on your face.

"A teacher?" Ron squeaked nervously after a few seconds, trying to keep the conversation going. Hermione went pink in the face at the sight of Ginger, Taylor, and Bella glaring at her, as if she had just cursed out the president.

"Yes. I know I'm really young and all, but I'm actually really qualified." Juliunna explained, and turned back to her computer. This time, Hermione waited a second until Jules was down to speak.

"I'm sorry, but, and I don't mean to be rude at all when I say this, but who is it up to, to decide that a sixteen year old girl is qualified, to be trusted with the responsibility of teaching young wizards and witches?" Hermione said, and Harry felt a sudden urge to kick Hermione under the table. Bella's mouth dropped, and Jules shrugged, blushing slightly.

"What did you just say-!"

"Bella its fine. Really-!"

"Juliunna has been doing hands on experience since she was six. And she is not sixteen!" Ginger snapped, and Taylor nodded.

"Jules don't listen to her. Her hair cuticles can't hurt you." Taylor whispered aloud, and Bella nodded.

"She's eighteen. And she's more qualified, and wiser then you'll ever be." Bella whispered, clutching the table tightly.

"Hermione. Stop talking." Ron whispered, and Harry wished she'd stop feeling bold. She was going to get herself killed!

"Boys, I'm just saying what we're all thinking." Hermione laughed, and sucked in a sarcastic breath. Harry paled.

"I'm just saying, that its pretty probable that the way you got your job at such a young age, is that maybe you've got a little _inside help_, from a male figure at the office?" Hermione said sarcastically, tilting her head to the side sarcastically and smiling ever so sweetly.

Juliunna paled. Hermione smiled wider, and then it all happened in seconds. Ginger and Bella jumped up. With their wands up, they both shot spells at Hermione, who was blasted off her chair onto the floor. The room exploded into bright lights and bangs.

Ron jumped up and shot spells at the two of them, who got into a huge wizarding battle with him. Juliunna, who burst into tears, grabbed her computer and ran from the room, Taylor after her immediately.

"Jules wait. Okay, stay up there then! You see this is why no one can treat you right! Because you have the emotional range of the worlds largest flag!" Taylor shouted after her, and Jules tripped on one of the steps. Harry took out his wand, and walked over to Taylor.

"Hey, that was really uncalled for." He said, glaring at her.

"Well its true." Taylor hissed, meeting his glare equally. She was short, with the top of her head reaching his chest. Her blonde hair was long, coming to a rest at her shoulder. Her brown eyes met his green ones, and after a minute, he decided to drop his glare.

"Listen. I'm never going to be able to break up this fight. Could you take care of it? You know them, you're their friends." He asked, having to talk louder over the sound of the grunting and banging noises in the kitchen. He peeked in quick enough for a horrified moment, seeing Hermione being blasted across the kitchen and into the kitchen china cupboard. Taylor nodded.

"Yeah. Will you take care of Jules for me?" She asked, and Harry nodded. He could hear the loud clattering noises of the china being broken.

"Yeah, what do you want me to do?"

"Just talk to her!" Taylor shouted, and then took off running for the kitchen. He instantly turned for the stairs.

_Well, here we go._

**One minute Later**

Harry sighed, knocking on the door. He could hear her sobbing behind the door, so he knew this was the room she decided to hang out in.

"Um, excuse me?" Harry asked softly. The door opened and Juliunna nodded inside. He followed her, shutting the door behind him quietly. She, sniffing loudly and trying to get herself under control, walked over to the bed and laid on her back. He sat down next to her, lying on his back right next to her. She didn't protest it, so he just got comfortable.

"Hi." He voiced, and she took one last sniff. He looked over to her face as she went silent. But clearly seen giant tears were streaming down her face.

"Hello Harry." She breathed.

"Why does it upset you?" He asked suddenly, and she frowned.

"What?"

"You heard me," He joked, turning to her. He leaned his head on his open palm, resting on her elbow so her face was closer to his.

"Okay… I hate the way they treat me like a kid. Its like I can't even fend for myself emotionally, or even physically." She said softy, and the waterworks just turned on harder.

"Well, that's only because they care for you." Harry explained, and she took out both of her pigtails, letting her long, satiny hair flow to her shoulders.

"Yeah, I know." She muttered, but Harry leaned closer so he could whisper loudly.

"Juliunna, its true. I've only known you and those girls for a few days, and I can already tell that your they're pet." Harry explained, and she raised an eyebrow.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" She grinned, and Harry chuckled.

"I didn't mean it like that. I mean that, they're like the big, serious bad kids. Like they couldn't care about anywhere or anyone." Harry explained, and then leaned closer until they were inches away.

"But they care about you, like they couldn't live without you." Harry explained, and then they were moving closer very slowly.

"So… How did you get your job so young?" Harry whispered, his breath fanning against her face. She smiled slightly, her lips twisting up with a slight smirk.

"My parents have plenty of power and connections. Father is friends with the Principal, and scored me an interview. From then on, it was up to me. I have great references, my academics were perfect. My parents respect my decisions for life, but I will admit they were slightly disappointed when I decided to become a teacher." She shrugged, and Harry frowned slightly.

"Really, but why? I would be proud to know such a small and young person, who has been given the job of a lifetime." Harry breathed, and he leaned his forehead against hers.

"They wanted me to work in the Ministry. They basically had my whole future lined up a week after my birth. But I loved children, and I wanted to teach." Juliunna sighed, and Harry smiled. They stared at each other for a moment, and Juliunna rolled her eyes irritably.

He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers. They were warm and ever so tingly with electricity. Her hands leaned over and twisted into his hair. He pulled her closer as their lips moved over and under, and they were fighting each other roughly with their moist tongues. Harry climbed on top of her, pushing her down into the mattress as she moaned underneath him.

"_Shush." _He warned her, fighting through his foggy brain just to say that single word. He had never felt any of this with Ginny. He and Ginny had just had some friendly kissed. But Juliunna's were more powerful. He wondered vaguely, in the back of his mind, if she had done this before, for she surely moved like she had. She gripped his brawny shoulders as his mouth dropped from her lips to her neck.

She threw her head back, her hair falling behind her head, but they both jumped when there was a knock at the door.

"Jules, hey are you okay?" Ginger called, and Juliunna froze in Harry's arm. Harry leaned up onto his knees, and edged a quick look at the door.

"Ugh, if they were to find us like this-!"

"They would probably kill you."

"Well, isn't that fine?" Harry sarcastically said. And made to move. She arched into the bed, wrapping her legs around his waist, and he relaxed. "Well I guess it's a good thing I could I locked the door." Harry muttered, and started to rock into her waist.

"She's not answering, you know what? Jules I'm coming in anyway!" There was the sound of the door being slammed open, and Juliunna screamed. Then Harry screamed, ripping his mouth away from Jules and falling back onto the bed. The girls in the door screamed.

"Ahh!"

"Ahhh!"

"Ahhh!"

"Hey! Jules getting it on like Donkey Kong up in this room!"

"Shut up Taylor!" Juliunna shouted.

"Okay, okay. Harry, go downstairs and help your beaver friend. She's passed out in the trash can." Ginger glared at him, and Bella chortled behind her hand.

"Okay then, fine. Well in that case, goodnight Juliunna."

"Get out!" Bella shouted, and Harry ran outside the door.

"Bye Harry-!"

"Don't make me kill you!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

**Normal Pov**

"Come on Ron, we've got to make a plan." Harry muttered, and the two of them set off upstairs. Ron jogged quietly behind him, and as the two of them reached the top of the stairs, and they both groaned.

"Hermione, what the heck are you doing?" Harry groaned, seeing her sitting up against one of the doors, her ear pressed tightly against it.

"Shh, I'm trying to listen." She whispered, and Ron strode forward. "Hermione, do you want another fight on your hands? Because that's what's going to happen if they find you eavesdropping!" Ron whispered, but was silenced when Hermione turned around, flipping a glare at him.

"Ron, Harry, please understand that what I'm trying to do is protect us. I don't trust those girls-!"

"But I do." Harry said, and Hermione's mouth flipped open.

"Harry, we've only known them for about thirty six hours. They could be death eaters who forged a letter. Who knows-!"

"Hermione, I'm going to tell you something. We're all going into the door over here, by the way your stationed at the wrong door." Harry drawled, and Hermione sat up, her face glowing pink.

"Fine then, what were you going to tell me?" She asked, and Harry pointed to the door that he knew the girls were stationed in.

"Last night I gave Juliunna the fake horcrux, and the letter inside it. She's probably analyzing it as we speak-!"

"You what?!" Hermione snarled as quietly as she could.

"Hermione, we need all the help we can get-!"

"Aren't we enough? Harry, we cannot trust anyone but ourselves. I think I made myself pretty clear about that-!"

"And I think I made myself pretty clear about this. They are staying. I trust them. So lets go, I want to make a plan." Harry snarled back at her. "And you know what Hermione, if you don't want to corporate with them, you should probably go back home. We'll be in there if you want to behave." He snapped at her, and Hermione looked as if she'd been slapped.

"But… But… Fine! I'll come with you." She glared, tears in her eyes. Ron took a small step towards her, but Harry shook his head no. The two of them walked to the door, and then knocked. Hermione sniffed softly, but Harry made no chance to turn around.

Ginger opened the door and rubbed her neck roughly, staring at the floor as she yawned.

"Come in." She barked, and then walked off to Jules, who was smiling at her computer screen.

"Guys, I want you all to come here. I just made the first important breakthrough in our mystery." Juliunna said, smiling. Everyone crowded at Juliunna's feet, like Kindergarteners around their teacher.

"Okay, lets see. So Harry, the signature at the bottom of that note you found in the fake horcrux was signed with R.A.B. I know who he is." Juliunna said. She closed the laptop and made for the door.

"Where are we going-!"

Bella interrupted Hermione by jetting her face roughly near Hermione's. Hermione squeaked and then made to stand by Ron. Juliunna rounded the corner near where Hermione was currently kneeling next to, and smirked at the large door.

"Regulas Articulas Black, is his name. He's Bella's uncle-!"

"Sirius's brother." Harry frowned. He leaned over and ran a hand over the gold name plate on the door. R.A.B.

"Juliunna, you're a genius." Harry said, and Juliunna smirked. "Thank you Harry."

"So what now?" Ron asked when Hermione nudged him in the gut. "Yes, now we know who wrote the note, but its really not that valuable if we know if he even destroyed the horcrux or not. And what if its not even here?" He said, and Harry rolled his eyes when he noticed that Hermione had been whispering in Ron's ear.

"Its not in the room." Juliunna said, edging her head towards the door.

"Okay, and you know this _because_," Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

"Because I went in here earlier. We turned down this whole room. We even decided to check if he hid it in the walls. He didn't." Juliunna said, and then opened the door. Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked in, shocked looks on their faces. Pillow feathers hung to the ceiling, X's were marked on various parts of the walls, there were also large halls that indicated someone had knocked halls into them with a sledgehammer or something.

"Okay, now its not there. What do we do now?" Harry asked, sighing. Juliunna smirked. "Well really Harry, its quite simple actually. I've been talking it over with Bella, and she's given me a lot of insight on our favorite little Black Family House Elf, Kretcher." Juliunna smirked. And Harry laughed.

"Juliunna, ever since I've been here two years ago, when we were trying to clear out the house, Kretcher kept trying to hide a lot of things so we couldn't trash them." Harry said, smiling at the thought.

"And what happens if Kretcher doesn't have the horcrux?" Hermione said, glaring at Juliunna. Jules just smiled.

"Well if he doesn't… We're at square one again."

"Kretcher!" Bella screamed, and then there was a loud pop. "Mistress Bella Black. Daughter of the filthy Blood traitor Sirius Black." Kretcher said, staring up at her with hopeful eyes. Bella smirked.

"Yep, that's me." She smirked, a shrug on her shoulders.

"Okay, Kretcher." Juliunna said, pulling out the fake horcrux. Kretcher's eyes widened. "Have you ever seen this before?" She asked, adjusting her thick rimmed glasses. He nodded.

"Kretcher has seen this locket before. It is Master Regulas's locket."

"Ooh! Granger in your face!" Bella shouted, sticking out her tongue at him. Hermione frowned and growled at her.

"Actually Kretcher, it's a fake. I found a note inside that says that he stole the real one and planned to destroy it. Do you know where the real locket is?" She asked, and he frowned.

"Yes. Yes Kretcher knows. He came in the night. He took, many, many things, including the locket." He said, frowning. He started backing up slowly.

"Who took it Kretcher. Tell me." She said. Kretcher sneered slightly at the thought. "Mundogulas Fletcher."

"Find him." Juliunna said, and Kretcher nodded.

"Of course pureblood mistress. Niece of Bellatrix Lestrange and Daughter of Narcissa Black and Lucius Malfoy." He said, and then spun around. There was a large pop, and then he disappeared.

"Okay. What was that about?" Ron shouted, turning towards Jules. Juliunna shrugged.

"Does is really matter what my parentage is?" She shrugged, and then walked pass him towards her room again.

"Um, yes, it does. Especially when your bloody parents are two death eaters-!"

"But I'm not Weasley!" Juliunna screamed, making Harry jump back. Hermione glared at her, but didn't say a thing.

"My parents are grown up! Whatever they do, does not, and will never bounce back on me. I grew up, and I left! I'm not a bloodthirsty psychopath like my aunt! I'm not a manipulative liar like my father. I'm not a death eater, and I work for the greater good. I quit my job so I could work for you three. So I can make a better life for the whole wizarding world. I am willing to die, just so you three can live. So I could use a little respect around here." Juliunna snapped, and then stomped off towards her room. Ginger, Taylor, and Bella snuck into her room just in time for Juliunna to shut the door.

"I'm sorry. But what did you a have to go and do that for you prat?!" Harry whispered, hitting Ron on the shoulder, hard.

"Ouch!" He whispered, and shrugged the shoulder around.

"Well looks like we can add spawn of evil death eaters to the list." She zipped, and motioned as if she was writing it down in a mental checklist.

"It doesn't mean she's evil." Harry snapped at the both of them. Then Ron seemed to snap out of whatever stupor he was in.

"Harry, you do realize we've excepted them into our little group without knowing any of their last names. We know Bella's Sirius's daughter, but what about Ginger and Taylor? Who are their parents? Where do they live? Is this vampire war Bella talked about even real?" Ron said, and Hermione smirked.

"Believe me now Harry?" She asked, tilting her head to the side with a smirk.

"No I don't. In fact, I'm going to my room right now, and taking a nap. You want to know why? Because Juliunna just brought us a step closer to finding that horcrux. She's been nothing but nice to us, and you two just keep putting her, and her friends down. Get over yourselves." He growled at them, and then took off for his room. Ron and Hermione threw him sorry and hurt looks, but he didn't look back at them. Instead, he waked inside his bedroom, and shut the door. He leaned against the door and sighed.

"What is wrong with me-!"

"If your talking about your sanity, I for one think its ever so complete and sane."

"Ah!" He jumped, looking back at his bed. Juliunna was sitting cross legged on his bed, typing away on her laptop. She didn't look up from it. He frowned.

"But-! I saw you go in your room." He frowned, and she smiled.

"Yes. But when I exited my room, you were too busy arguing with Mr. and Mrs. Potato head to notice, so I went straight to your surprising neat room, hoping to catch you alone." She said, throwing her long hair over her shoulder. Her fingers flexed quickly across the keyboard as she typed, and Harry smiled.

"So," He started, walking towards the bed. "I thought that as the daughter of the Malfoy's, you shouldn't like Muggle things." He said, sitting next to her. He peaked onto the screen. She was typing a document about a rare, itailan flower. Or something like that."

"And as I've said no less then two minutes ago, I will let my Malfoy and Black heritage put no league on my life. I really don't see the difference between Muggles and Wizards. Give Muggles a wand and they can perform magic too." She said, rolling her eyes.

"You know, I've pretty much spent my whole summer in the muggle world, and part of my year. I've come to realize that their 'junk' isn't all that junky after all." Juliunna said, shrugging.

Harry smirked. "So, you like this? I never got to even touch one when I still lived in the Muggle World. Too much money. Well, my Aunt and Uncle always bought one for Dudley every year, but they didn't love me, so I got a moldy pair of socks every year for my birthday. And easter. And Christmas. And pretty much all days and holidays known to man." Harry shrugged, and Juliunna pouted at him.

"That doesn't seem nice."

"Well my Aunt and Uncle were never nice people. Especially when it comes to me." He said, and promptly shut her laptop lid. It closed with a soft _click_, and he picked it up and placed it on his dresser.

She leaned forward and he kissed him again, her soft lips moving against his. After a few seconds, he pulled back.

"I have a question." He said, frowning. She sighed. "What is it?" She asked.

"Do you see, us, going anywhere?" He asked, meeting her eyes. She rolled hers. "No."

"Wait. No?" He asked, and she nodded. "No Harry. You're a smart boy, and your really nice. I'm sure any girl would be lucky to call you her own, just not me." Juliunna said, looking extremely serious. He frowned.

"But… But why-!"

"Harry, I do not have the time, or the patience to be in a relationship right now. I think it would be a lot better on both of us, if we don't put a label on whatever it is we're doing now. We can just call it, a stress reliever." She said, leaning forward to kiss his cheek. He frowned.

"So your saying that being in a relationship is stressful, and all you want from me is sex?" He asked, frowning at her. She nodded with a wide smile. "Exactly."

"That's not nice."

"Harry," She started, and moved forward. She sat on his lap, wrapping her legs around his waist. "I'm not forcing you to do this with me. Its just… I have urges, just like everyone." She said, shrugging. "I'm only human, and it's a great stress reliever. Just say the word if you want me to leave, okay?" She said, and he sighed.

But he never did say the word.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

**Normal Pov**

Kretcher did not return the following day, nor the day after that. However, two cloaked men had appeared in the square outside number twelve, and they remained there into the night, gazing in the direction of the house that they could not see.

"Death Eaters, for sure," said Ron, as he, Harry, and Hermione watched from the drawing room windows. "Reckon they know we're in here?"

"I don't think so," Hermione said, though she looked frightened, "Or they'd have sent Snape in after us, wouldn't they?"

"Do you reckon he's been in here and has his tongue tied by Moody's curse?" Ron asked with a curious look on his face.

"Yes," Hermione said, "Otherwise he'd have been able to tell that lot how to get in, wouldn't he? But they're probably watching to see whether we turn up. They know that Harry owns the house, after all."

"How do they?" began Harry.

"Wizarding wills are examined by the Ministry, remember? They'll know Sirius left you the place."

The presence of the Death Eaters outside increased the ominous mood inside number twelve. They had not heard a word form anyone beyond Grimmauld Place since Mr. Weasley's Patronus, and the strain was starting to tell. Restless and irritable, Ron had developed an annoying habit of playing with the Deluminator in his pocket; This particularly infuriated Hermione, who was whiling away the wait for Kretcher by studying The Tales of Beedle the Bard and did not appreciate the way the lights kept flashing on and off.

"Will you stop it!" She cried on the third evening of Kretcher's absence, as all the light was sucked from the drawing room yet again.

"Sorry, sorry!" Said Ron, clicking the Deluminator and restoring the lights. "I don't know I'm doing it!"

"Well, can't you find something useful to occupy yourself?"

"What, like reading kids stories?"

"Dumbledore left me this book, Ron. "

"-! And he left me the Deluminator, maybe I'm supposed to use it!"

Unable to stand the bickering, Harry slipped out of the room unnoticed by either of them. He headed downstairs toward the kitchen, which he kept visiting because he was sure that was where Kretcher was most likely to reappear. Halfway down the flight of stairs into the hall, however, he heard a tap on the front door, then metallic clicks and the grinding of the chain.

Every nerve in his body seemed to tauten. He pulled out his wand, moved into the shadows beside the decapitated elf heads, and waited. The door opened: He saw a glimpse of the lamp lit square outside, and a cloaked figure edged into the hall and closed the door behind it. The intruder took a step forward, and Moody's voice asked, "Severus Snape?" Then the dust figure rose from the end of the hall and rushed him, raising its dead hand.

"It was not I who killed you, Albus," Said a quiet voice.

The jinx broke: The dust-figure exploded again, and it was impossible to make out the newcomer through the dense gray cloud it left behind.

Harry pointed the wand into the middle of it.

"Don't move!"

He had forgotten the portrait of Mrs. Black: At the sound of his yell, the curtains hiding her flew open and she began to scream, "Mudbloods and filth dishonoring my house!"

Ron and Hermione came crashing down the stairs behind Harry, wands pointing, like his, at the unknown man now standing with his arms raised in the hall below.

"Hold your fire, it's me, Remus!"

"Oh, thank goodness," Hermione said weakly, pointing her wand at Mrs. Black instead; with a bang, the curtains swished shut again and silence fell. Ron too lowered his wand, but Harry did not.

"Show yourself!" he called back.

Lupin moved forward into the lamplight, hands still held high in a gesture of surrender. "I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, sometimes known as Moony, one of the four creators of the Marauder's Map, married to Nymphadora, usually known as Tonks, and I taught you how to produce a Patronus, Harry, which takes the form of a stag."

"Oh, all right," said Harry, lowering his wand, "But I had to check, didn't I?"

"Speaking as your ex-Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I quite agree that you had to check. Ron, Hermione, you shouldn't be so quick to lower your defenses."

They ran down the stairs towards him. Wrapped in a thick black traveling cloak, he looked exhausted, but pleased to see them.

"No sign of Severus, then?" He asked.

"No," Harry said. "What's going on? Is everyone okay?"

"Yes," said Lupin, "But we're all being watched. There are a couple of Death Eaters in the square outside "

"We know."

"I had to Apparate very precisely onto the top step outside the front door to be sure that they would not see me. They can't know you're in here or I'm sure they'd have more people out there; they're staking out everywhere that's got any connection with you, Harry. Let's go downstairs, there's a lot to tell you, and I want to know what happened after you left the Burrow."

They descended into the kitchen, where Hermione pointed her wand at the grate. A fire sprang up instantly: It gave the illusion of coziness to the stark stone walls and glistened off the long wooden table. Lupin pulled a few butterbeers from beneath his traveling cloak and they sat down.

"I'd have been here three days ago but I needed to shake off the Death Eater tailing me," said Lupin. "So, you came straight here after the wedding?"

"No," said Harry, "Only after we ran into a couple of Death Eaters in a cafe on Tottenham Court Road."

Lupin slopped most of his butterbeer down his front.

"What?"

They explained what had happened; when they had finished, Lupin looked aghast.

"But how did they find you so quickly? It's impossible to track anyone who Apparates, unless you grab hold of them as they disappear."

"And it doesn't seem likely they were just strolling down Tottenham Court Road at the time, does it?" said Harry.

"We wondered," Said Hermione tentatively, "Whether Harry could still have the Trace on him?"

"Impossible," said Lupin. Ron looked smug, and Harry felt hugely relieved. "Apart from anything else, they'd know for sure Harry was here if he still had the Trace on him, wouldn't they? But I can't see how they could have tracked you to Tottenham Court Road, that's worrying, really worrying." He looked disturbed, but as far as Harry was concerned, that question could wait.

"Tell us what happened after we left, we haven't heard a thing since Ron's dad told us the family was safe."

"Well, Kingsley saved us," said Lupin. "Thanks to his warning most of the wedding guests were able to Disaparated before they arrived."

"Were they Death Eaters or Ministry people?" interjected Hermione.

"A mixture; but to all intents and purposes they're the same thing now," said Lupin. "There were about a dozen of them, but they didn't know you were there, Harry. Arthur heard a rumor that they tried to torture your whereabouts out of Scrimgeour before they killed him; if it's true, he didn't give you away."

Harry looked at Ron and Hermione; their expressions reflected the mingled shock and gratitude he felt. He had never liked Scrimgeour much, but if what Lupin said was true, the man's final act had been to try to protect Harry.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Remus, we've met the most evil four girls a few days ago. Harry insisted on bringing them with us-!"

"What?!" Remus snapped, and Hermione smirked smugly as Remus turned to Harry with outrage.

"Harry, you can't trust many people these days, and you know that! How did you even meet this girls-!"

"They showed up in this house a few days ago, as I said. But listen to this, because this is the hard to believe and both stupid and untrue part. One of them claims to be Sirius's daughter-!"

"She is Sirius's daughter! I'm sure of it!" Harry hissed Hermione's way angrily. Remus frowned. To the Golden Trio's surprise, he bit his lip nervously.

"You say that there are four girls? Four of them?" Remus asked, and Harry nodded feverishly.

"Yes. And they are all very helpful. Hermione's just jealous but I like those girls. There's Taylor, Juliunna, Bella, and Ginger." Harry explain, and his eyes widened when Remus cupped his hands over his face.

"Ginger, you say-!"

"Remus… Do you know these girls?" Hermione asked, and after a second, Remus nodded.

"Yes. Ginger you see… Is my daughter." Remus choked. They noticed that Remus looked paler then usually, and that was saying something!

"Your… Your daughter Remus? But you never mentioned any daughter."

"I know Hermione but, I haven't seen her in fifteen years! I don't even remember what she looks like now. She ran away from home when she was a little girl."

"How old?" Hermione asked.

"Four." He said. Ron gasped. "Wicked, that's very young!" He gasped. Remus nodded.

"Yes." Remus said tiringly, and then frowned. "Are they all here?" He whispered, and Harry nodded. "Yeah, but their all sticking up in the same room for protection-!"

"For plotting." Hermione smirked, and Harry reached up and slammed his fist into Hermione's thigh. She squeaked and jumped back in pain. Ignoring Ron's hiss of anger, Harry turned back to Remus.

"Would you like to see your daughter?" He asked. Remus leaned back and thought. "Um yeah, sure."

"**Get down here!"** Hermione shouted, looking upwards at the ceiling and cupping her hands around her mouth as she shouted.

"**Who?!"** Bella screamed back. **"All of you!"** Hermione screamed. There were three audible groans from upstairs. Harry smiled absently. Ron turned to Remus with a curious thought.

"Remus… What do you think Ginger will say when she sees you?" He asked, and at that, Remus grimaced. He stood up abruptly.

"I-! I don't think this is a good idea! I haven't seen Ginger for fifteen years and, this is all so sudden. She's probably not going to want to talk to me. Maybe I should go-!"

"No Remus. She's your daughter. She deserves to see you. You should also tell her about Tonks." Harry said, and Remus sighed.

"Well… I don't know-!"

"Remus these are dark days. She deserves closure. And so do you. Tell her about your wife. Your new life." Harry said with a smile. Remus stared at the wall for a few seconds, and then sat down.

"Okay, I guess that makes sense. Here… Here they come." Remus breathed out, and Harry smiled symphetically at the paleness on Remus's face. Remus was breathing hoarsely.

"What is it? Did Kretcher come back?" Taylor asked as she came down the stairs and into the living room. She stopped when she saw Remus, but sat down on the couch next to Ron.

"What's he doing here?" Taylor asked, and then Bella and Ginger came in. Bella raised an eyebrow at Remus, but Ginger barely batted an eyelash.

"He came by to pass on a message and to check up on us. Ginger, you want to say hi?" Harry asked with a smile. Ginger snorted as she plopped down on the couch next to him.

"Why would I say Hi?" She asked. Bella sat cross legged on the floor, not wanting to sit next to Hermione, who scowled.

"She doesn't recognize him." Bella said. Remus looked Ginger in the eye, who rolled hers. "Okay. Obviously I'm the only one who isn't getting it. Who are you?" She asked, and Remus took a deep breath.

"Well, I am your father." He said, and Ginger stared at him.

"What?" She asked after a second. He coughed slightly.

"I'm Remus John Lupin, your father. And you're my daughter, Ginger Anticulas Lupin-!"

"Really. And whose stupid and highly boring idea was it to give me that stupid middle name?" Ginger asked. Remus smiled lightly.

"Sirius. He stole the birth certificate minutes after the birth and wrote Anticulas as a prank-!"

"Don't be stupid, tell the truth-!" Ginger snapped, crossing her arms.

"Okay it was me. I don't think its stupid, its very charming. I wish my name was Anticulas." Remus groaned.

"Okay… Well goodbye." Ginger waved, and then stood up. Remus held his hand out and gripped her elbow tightly. "Wait a minute. I wanted to talk to you-!"

"HA!" Ginger yelled, and Remus jumped back as she almost kicked him.

"Don't touch me-!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

"Just say what you have to say so I can go back upstairs." Ginger snapped at him. Remus sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. "Guys this is private stuff. Ginger, lets talk in the hall." Remus said, and after a few seconds of her silently staring at him, then both got up and went into the hall.

…

…

…

…

Remus came back in alone, but looking considerably happier then he was before.

"Did you tell her?" Harry asked. And Remus nodded.

"Yeah. I told her everything." He said with a large smile. He was gleefully happy when he sat down again. "Really, you told her all about Tonks and your new life?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"Yep." Remus said with a gleeful laugh.

"And what did she say?" Hermione asked.

"She doesn't want to see me again, and she couldn't care less about me or my new family." Remus said with a large and excitingly sarcastic smile, and Taylor and Bella laughed. Harry hissed sadly.

"Aw Remus man… I'm sorry-!"

"No, its fine really, I expected this from her. She's just… Jealous a little of the lack of attention she's getting from a parental figure. But the reason I'm smiling is because she was always a bad liar, even now." He said with a grin, and Harry and Ron laughed.

"Congrats Remus. So, tell us what happened at the Borrow after the attack." Harry said.

"Okay. The Death Eaters searched the Burrow from top to bottom," Lupin said after he could manage a straight face. "They found the ghoul that was pretending to be Ron with the disease, but didn't want to get too close and then they interrogated those of us who remained for hours. They were trying to get information on you, Harry, but of course nobody apart from the Order knew that you had been there." Remus said with a serious face. Taylor and Bella looked at him with rapt like attention.

"At the same time that they were smashing up the wedding, more Death Eaters were forcing their way into every Order-connected house in the country. No deaths," he added quickly, forestalling the question, "but they were rough. They burned down Dedalus Diggle's house, but as you know he wasn't there, and they used the Cruciatus Curse on Tonks's family. Again, trying to find out where you went after you visited them. They're all right, shaken obviously, but otherwise okay."

"The Death Eaters got through all those protective charms?"

Harry asked, remembering how effective these had been on the night he had crashed in Tonks's parents' garden.

"What you've got to realize, Harry, is that the Death Eaters have got the full might of the Ministry on their side now," said Lupin. "They've got the power to perform brutal spells without fear of identification or arrest. They managed to penetrate every defensive spell we'd cast against them, and once inside, they were completely open about why they'd come."

"And are they bothering to give an excuse for torturing Harry's whereabouts out of people?" asked Hermione, an edge to her voice.

"Well," Lupin said. He hesitated, then pulled out a folded copy of the Daily Prophet.

"Here," he said, pushing it across the table to Harry, "You'll know sooner or later anyway. That's their pretext for going after you."

Harry smoothed out the paper. A huge photograph of his own face filled the front page. He read the headline over it:

WANTED FOR QUESTIONING ABOUT THE DEATH OF ALBUS DUMBLEDORE  
Ron and Hermione gave roars of outrage, but Harry said nothing. He pushed the newspaper away; he did not want to read anymore: He knew what it would say. Nobody but those who had been on top of the tower when Dumbledore died knew who had really killed him and, as Rita Skeeter had already told the Wizarding world, Harry had been seen running from the place moments after Dumbledore had fallen.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Lupin said.

"So Death Eaters have taken over the Daily Prophet too?" asked Hermione furiously.

Lupin nodded.

"But surely people realize what's going on?"

"The coup has been smooth and virtually silent," said Lupin.

"The official version of Scrimgeour's murder is that he resigned; he has been replaced by Pius Thicknesse, who is under the Imperius Curse."

"Why didn't Voldemort declare himself Minister of Magic?" asked Ron.

Lupin laughed.

"He doesn't need to, Ron. Effectively, he is the Minister, but why should he sit behind a desk at the Ministry? His puppet, Thicknesse, is taking care of everyday business, leaving Voldemort free to extend his power beyond the Ministry."

"Naturally many people have deduced what has happened: There has been such a dramatic change in Ministry policy in the last few days, and many are whispering that Voldemort must be behind it. However, that is the point: They whisper. They daren't confide in each other, not knowing whom to trust; they are scared to speak out, in case their suspicions are true and their families are targeted. Yes, Voldemort is playing a very clever game. Declaring himself might have provoked open rebellion: Remaining masked has created confusion, uncertainty, and fear."

"And this dramatic change in Ministry policy," said Harry, "involves warning the Wizarding world against me instead of Voldemort?"

"That's certainly a part of it," said Lupin, "and it is a masterstroke. Now that Dumbledore is dead, you the Boy Who Lived were sure to be the symbol and rallying point for any resistance to Voldemort. But by suggesting that you had a hand in the old hat's death, Voldemort has not only set a price upon your head, but sown doubt and fear amongst many who would have defended you."

"Meanwhile, the Ministry has started moving against Muggle-borns."

Lupin pointed at the Daily Prophet.

"Look at page two."

Hermione turned the pages with much the same expression of distaste she had when handling Secrets of the Darkest Art.

"Muggle-born Register!" she read aloud. "'The Ministry of Magic is undertaking a survey of so-called "Muggle-borns" the better to understand how they came to possess magical secrets.

"'Recent research undertaken by the Department of Mysteries reveals that magic can only be passed from person to person when Wizards reproduce. Where no proven Wizarding ancestry exists, therefore, the so-called Muggle-born is likely to have obtained magical power by theft or force.

"'The Ministry is determined to root out such usurpers of magical power, and to this end has issued an invitation to every so-called Muggle-born to present themselves for interview by the newly appointed Muggle-born Registration Commission.'"

"People won't let this happen," said Ron.

"It is happening, Ron," said Lupin. "Muggle-borns are being rounded up as we speak."

"But how are they supposed to have 'stolen' magic?" said Ron. "It's mental, if you could steal magic there wouldn't be any Squibs, would there?"

"I know," said Lupin. "Nevertheless, unless you can prove that you have at least one close Wizarding relative, you are now deemed to have obtained your magical power illegally and must suffer the punishment."

Ron glanced at Hermione, then said, "What if purebloods and half bloods swear a Muggle-born's part of their family? I'll tell everyone Hermione's my cousin."

Hermione covered Ron's hand with hers and squeezed it.

"Thank you, Ron, but I couldn't let you."

"You won't have a choice," said Ron fiercely, gripping her hand back. "I'll teach you my family tree so you can answer questions on it."

Hermione gave a shaky laugh.

"Ron, as we're on the run with Harry Potter, the most wanted person in the country, I don't think it matters. If I was going back to school it would be different. What's Voldemort planning for Hogwarts?" she asked Lupin.

"Attendance is now compulsory for every young witch and wizard," he replied. "That was announced yesterday. It's a change, because it was never obligatory before. Of course, nearly every witch and wizard in Britain has been educated at Hogwarts, but their parents had the right to teach them at home or send them abroad if they preferred. This way, Voldemort will have the whole Wizarding population under his eye from a young age. And it's also another way of weeding out Muggle-borns, because students must be given Blood Status meaning that they have proven to the Ministry that they are of Wizard descent before they are allowed to attend."

Harry felt sickened and angry: At this moment, excited eleven-year-olds would be poring over stacks of newly purchased spell-books, unaware that they would never see Hogwarts, perhaps never see their families again either.

"It's... it's..." he muttered, struggling to find words that did justice to the horror of his thoughts, but Lupin said quietly, "I know."

Lupin hesitated.

"I'll understand if you can't confirm this, Harry, but the Order is under the impression that Dumbledore left you a mission."

"He did," Harry replied, "And Ron and Hermione are in on it and they're coming with me."

"Can you confide in me what the mission is?"

Harry looked into the prematurely lined face, framed in thick but graying hair, and wished that he could return a different answer.

"I can't, Remus, I'm sorry. If Dumbledore didn't tell you I don't think I can."

"I thought you'd say that," said Lupin, looking disappointed. "But I might still be of some use to you. You know what I am and what I can do. I could come with you to provide protection. There would be no need to tell me exactly what you were up to."

Harry hesitated. It was a very tempting offer, though how they would be able to keep their mission secret from Lupin if he were with them all the time he could not imagine.

Hermione, however, looked puzzled.

"But what about Tonks?" she asked. "What about her?" said Lupin.

"Well," said Hermione, frowning, "you're married! How does she feel about you going away with us?"

"Tonks will be perfectly safe," said Lupin, "She'll be at her parents' house."

There was something strange in Lupin's tone, it was almost cold. There was also something odd in the idea of Tonks remaining hidden at her parents' house; she was, after all, a member of the Order and, as far as Harry knew, was likely to want to be in the thick of the action.

"Remus," said Hermione tentatively, "is everything all right... you know... between you and her? "

"Everything is fine, thank you," said Lupin pointedly.

Hermione turned pink. There was another pause, an awkward and embarrassed one, and then Lupin said, with an air of forcing himself to admit something unpleasant, "Tonks is going to have a baby."

"Oh, how wonderful!" squealed Hermione.

"Excellent!" said Ron enthusiastically.

"Congratulations," said Harry.

Lupin gave an artificial smile that was more like a grimace, then said, "So... do you accept my offer? Will eight become nine? I cannot believe that Dumbledore would have disapproved, he appointed me your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, after all. And I must tell you that I believe we are facing magic many of us have never encountered or imagined."

Ron and Hermione both looked at Harry.

"Just to be clear," he said. "You want to leave Tonks at her parents' house and come away with us?"

"She'll be perfectly safe there, they'll look after her," said Lupin. He spoke with a finality bordering on indifference: "Harry, I'm sure James would have wanted me to stick with you."

"Well," said Harry slowly, "I'm not. I'm pretty sure my father would have wanted to know why you aren't sticking with your own kid, actually."

Lupin's face drained of color. The temperature in the living room might have dropped ten degrees. Ron stared around the room as though he had been bidden to memorize it, while Hermione's eyes swiveled backward and forward from Harry to Lupin. "Sticking with my own kid eh, well either way I go I'm sticking with my own kid-!"

"But Ginger doesn't need anyone to look after her, but Tonks and her baby need you." Harry said, looking at Lupin with hardened eyes.

"You don't understand," said Lupin at last.

"Explain, then," said Harry.

Lupin swallowed.

"I… I made a grave mistake in marrying Tonks. I did it against my better judgment and have regretted it very much every since."

"I see," said Harry, "so you're just going to dump her and the kid and run off with us?" Harry said, Bella gave a long, high pitched whistle.

Lupin sprang to his feet: His chair toppled over backward, and he glared at him so fiercely that Harry saw, for the first time ever, she shadow of the wolf upon his human face.

"Don't you understand what I've done to my wife and my unborn child? I should never have married her, I've made her an outcast!"

Lupin kicked aside the chair he had overturned.

"You have only ever seen me amongst the Order, or under Dumbledore's protection at Hogwarts! You don't know how most of the Wizarding world sees creatures like me! When they know of my affliction, they can barely talk to me! Don't you see what I've done? Even Ginger! I've turned her into an outcast too! I've passed my lycanthrobe genetics onto her.

Even her own family is disgusted by our marriage, what parents want their only daughter to marry a werewolf? And the child, the child! "

Lupin actually seized handfuls of his own hair; he looked quite deranged.

"My kind don't usually breed! It will be like me, I am convinced of it. How can I forgive myself, when I knowingly risked passing on my own condition to an innocent child? And if, by some miracle, it is not like me, then it will be better off, a hundred times so, without a father of whom it must always be ashamed!"

"Remus!" whispered Hermione, tears in her eyes. "Don't say that! How could any child be ashamed of you?"

"Oh, I don't know, Hermione," said Harry. "I'd be pretty ashamed of him."

Harry did not know where his rage was coming from, but it had propelled him to his feet too. Lupin looked as though Harry had hit him.

"If the new regime thinks Muggle-borns are bad," Harry said, "what will they do to a half-werewolf whose father's in the Order? My father died trying to protect my mother and me, and you reckon he'd tell you to abandon your kid to go on an adventure with us?"

"How-! How dare you?" said Lupin. "This is not about a desire for danger or personal glory! How dare you suggest such a thing "

"I think you're feeling a bit of a daredevil," Harry said, "You fancy stepping into Sirius's shoes! "

"Harry, no!" Hermione begged him, but he continued to glare into Lupin's livid face.

"I'd never have believed this," Harry said. "The man who taught me to fight dementors, a coward." Taylor gasped, and Bella started whisper chanting 'fight, fight', over and over again.

Lupin drew his wand so fast that Harry had barely reached for his own; there was a loud bang and he felt himself flying backward as if punched; as he slammed into the kitchen wall and slid to the floor, he glimpsed the tail of Lupin's cloak disappearing around the door.

"Remus, Remus, come back!" Hermione cried, but Lupin did not respond. A moment later they heard the front door slam.

"Harry!" wailed Hermione. "How could you?"

"It was easy," said Harry. He stood up, he could feel a lump swelling where his head had hit the wall. He was still so full of anger he was shaking.

"Don't look at me like that!" he snapped at Hermione.

"Don't you start on her!" snarled Ron.

"No. no we mustn't fight!" said Hermione, launching herself between them.

"You shouldn't have said that stuff to Lupin," Ron told Harry.

"He had it coming to him," said Harry. Broken images were racing each other through his mind: Sirius falling through the veil; Dumbledore suspended, broken, in midair; a flash of green light and his mother's voice, begging for mercy...

"Parents," said Harry, "shouldn't leave their kids unless they've got to."

"Harry" Said Hermione, stretching out a consoling hand, but he shrugged it off and walked away, his eyes on the fire Hermione had conjured. He had once spoken to Lupin out of that fireplace, seeking reassurance about James, and Lupin had consoled him. Now Lupin's tortured white face seemed to swim in the air before him. He felt a sickening surge of remorse. Neither Ron nor Hermione spoke, but Harry felt sure that they were looking at each other behind his back, communicating silently.

He turned around and caught them turning hurriedly away form each other.

"I know I shouldn't have called him a coward."

"No, you shouldn't," said Ron at once.

"But he's acting like one."

"All the same..." said Hermione.

"I know," said Harry. "But if it makes him go back to Tonks, it'll be worth it, won't it?"

He could not keep the plea out of his voice. Hermione looked sympathetic, Ron uncertain. Harry looked down at his feet, thinking of his father. Would James have backed Harry in what he had said to Lupin, or would he have been angry at how his son had treated his old friend? There was a slam upstairs and then Juliunna came flying around the corner, a peppermint latte in her hands. Harry was still angry, but he went pink in the face at the sight of her.

"You know, I believe that I called all of you down-!" Hermione was interrupted by Bella, who shouted happily and excitedly.

"Juliunna! Remus just pounded Harry into that wall! Because Harry just ripped into him!" Bella snapped, and Juliunna turned to Harry with a frown.

"Oh, Harry you've got a bump on the back of your head I suppose? How about I heal that up-!"

"Forget it. I can take care of it." Hermione snapped, and Juliunna rolled her eyes as Hermione took her wand out and made her way to Harry, who scowled at the floor.

"Okay. No problem. Anyway Bella, Tyler just texted me-!"

"Tyler?! Really!"

"Yep. So I need to tell you Harry, I'll be gone for about an hour-!"

"What?!" There was an outraged snap. Not from Harry, but from Hermione. Harry looked up into Juliunna's eyes.

"Of course. Its only an hour. Just remember to be careful on the porch. Don't let them see you." He said with a smile. Hermione hissed when Juliunna smiled back, and then ran back upstairs to grab her things.

"Harry, we can't just be going in and out! Its too dangerous. And I don't want you letting them make stupid mistakes and having them blast back onto us. And how do we know that she isn't running back to her Death Eater friends-!"

"Heh!" Bella laughed, and Harry flinched when Hermione rapped her wand on his bump a little too hard. It healed over, but it was still pulsing.

"Oh! Sorry Harry. Augimenti!" She shouted, and his head was engorged in a river worth of water. "What, what happened-!"

"She set you on fire with all those sparks!" Bella laughed, and Taylor smirked at Bella.

"Jules wouldn't have made that mistake-!"

"Oh just get a life already you bimbos!" Hermione snapped tearfully with embarrassment. Bella laughed shamelessly, and her and Taylor bounced up the stairs and out of sight.

"Evil." Hermione muttered under her breath. Harry rolled his eyes at her.

"Whatever you say." He muttered, and then went back upstairs, a smile on his face.


End file.
